Quick Takes
- End of Session deadlines this week in the House and Senate.
- More than 350 bills are on the Governor’s Desk to date.
- State Leadership priorities passing out of the Legislature.
State Report
The final week of the 88th Texas Legislature has arrived. The House met until late Friday night culminating with the contentious second reading passage of HB 17, prohibition of DEI offices at public institutions of higher education. The Senate opted to adjourn Friday evening and reconvene again late Sunday afternoon for a few committee hearings and the Senate Intent Calendar, and a Senate Local Calendar. The House convenes at 1 pm today to take up bills on second and third reading while the Senate returns to action at 10:30 am after adjourning at midnight Sunday.
There are several End of Session deadlines applicable to legislative activity this week. The House has published its final House Calendar with 2nd reading Senate Bills and Senate Joint Resolutions, which will be taken up Tuesday. The House is expected to work until midnight Tuesday, and any Senate bills remaining on the calendar at midnight will fail to advance. On Wednesday, the House will conduct its final Local, Consent, and Resolutions Calendar with Senate Bills in addition to 3rd readings from the day prior. The updated schedule of House floor activity for each day this week, including the list of items eligible, can be found here. Meanwhile, the most significant session deadline for the Senate is Wednesday which is the last day the Senate can consider any bill or joint resolution on 2nd or 3rd reading. The Senate agenda and calendar are available to review here. Both chambers will be reviewing amendments and finalizing conference committee reports Thursday through Sunday before the Legislature adjourns its regular session next Monday, Memorial Day, May 29th.
With deadlines quickly approaching, changes to legislation happen on very short notice. Late last night, the Senate filed a new version of HB 100, a bill to increase funding for public schools, and it now includes a school voucher program. It was set to be heard this morning in the Senate Education Committee. The NTC team monitors our priority bills very closely to watch for these and other negative changes to important legislation.
The most anticipated conference committee report returning to both chambers this week is the one for HB 1, the state budget. A couple of legislative priority issues that have already passed to Governor Greg Abbott or are on the way include HB 6, increased penalties for fentanyl-related deaths, and SB 14, prohibition of gender transitioning procedures and treatments for certain children. Governor Abbott has received more than 350 bills for consideration from the Legislature, with hundreds more arriving between now and Sine Die. He has signed or filed nearly 100 of the bills he has received without his signature. Governor Abbott exercised his veto power for the first time this session last Friday when he vetoed SB 1615, an occupational licensing bill by Senator Judith Zaffirini and sponsored by Representative Terry Wilson. The veto period ends Sunday, June 18th.
Several other leadership bills that appear to be well positioned for final passage include HB 4, consumer data privacy; HB 8, community college funding; HB 10, amendment of provisions relating to the removal from office of a prosecuting attorney; HB 18, social media protections for minors; HB 1000, House Redistricting; and SB 375, Senate Redistricting. A trio of prominent proposals remains outstanding, including property tax relief, tax abatement agreements between school districts and businesses, and school choice legislation. Governor Abbott indicated in a statement last week that he will consider calling a special session later this year to address school choice if the Legislature does not send him a bill before the end of the regular session.
This will be a busy week at the Capitol with legislators working to advance bills and negotiate still unresolved issues prior to the imminent deadlines set forth under their rules.
For questions regarding the legislative session, please reach out to Patrick Brophey.
